Just can't lose

1. Hello,

I'm looking for suggestions on what my issue is. I had the sleeve surgery in 2013, got down to 167 and then had a gallbladder attack and had to have it removed within a (or 2) after my surgery. Since then, I have slowly gained weight. I am currently 234 pounds. I hike almost weekly, mostly moderate rated hikes, sometime hard rated ones. I do 1 hour of cardio 4 to 5 times a week, with strength training about 3 to 4 times a week. I eat healthy (cook my own food and don't eat out) drink water and not sugary drinks. I have had my thyroid and other labs done, all normal. I know age is part to blame, I'm 46, but I refuse to believe that is what is stopping me from losing. I thought I would check to see if anyone else has this issue before spending more money on providers who tell you nothing seems to be wrong with me.

If you're gaining weight, then you're taking in too many calories. Exercise and all is great for fitness, but it really isn't that important to losing weight. If you aren't weighing and measuring and logging everything you eat, then you need to start.

Guesstimating will always end with higher calorie intake than you think. Your tool is still there, just start making it work for you. Weigh, measure, log, eat protein first, keep the carbs low and your calories at a level that you can lose weight , and you will.

Weight loss is 80% diet, 20% exercise. It doesn't matter how "healthy" the food you eat is; if you're eating too much of it, you will gain weight.

Try weighing, measuring, and logging everything you eat for a full week. Include nibbles, tastes, sauces, EVERYTHING. Then take a look at where you're at, calorie-wise.

It takes 10 calories to maintain one pound. You are eating enough to maintain 234, so that is 2340 calories a day. You need 2340 calories if you just laid in bed all day. You are eating that plus enough to allow all of the exercise.

Keeping an honest food diary can be a real eye opener and a real shock. Do it not as a thing to cause shame, but as a way to gather the information that you need to start making changes in your life.

Congratulations on the wonderful health tht you are maintaining and the incredible experiences that you are having. You are young and strong. This is a new challenge for you and one that you can take on and conquer.

I am almost 72. I am still taking on new challenges, both with weight and exercise.

I set goals for myself every day. I follow Weigh****chers, work hard, cook my own meals, drink water and lots of diet sodas, eat pancakes, bread, pasta, cookies, candy, meat, fruit, vegetables, potatoes, and ice cream. I do it by tracking Weigh****cher points and by weighing daily.

I don't look back. Every day is a new beginning and a chance to have fun, stay healthy, and enjoy the world and still being here. I come to this board to see if I can help others. I have been though almost every situation that others find themselves in.

I can relate to your struggle, because I have been in exactly the same place. I got out one day and one meal at a time.

I really appreciate all the feedback and I really wish I could blame this on calorie intake, but I've tracked a d tracked. My calorie intake is 1200 to 1600 a day, depending on how intense my workout was the day before. I have read that the intermittent fasting diet helps to increase metabolism, but I just didn't like the feeling when it came time to eat and I felt like I was eating way too fast. I guess I just need to find a doctor who will look deeper into my issue than any of the ones I have been to so far.

for many of us , that many calories is a maintenance diet.
many of us can't lose unless we are eating 600-800 calories only, and those being protein mostly and very little carbs even "healthy"ones.

Once you get the excess weight off, you probably can maintain on 1200 to 1600 a day. I know I do not normally lose on anything more than 800 per day and that is a slow one pound a week loss.

If you are maintaining on 1200 to 1600 calories per day, then the only way for you to lose weight is to eat less calories. In order to lose a pound a week, you need a calorie deficit of 3500 calories per week. That means 500 less calories per day. For you, that would mean you would need to reduce your calorie intake to anywhere from 700 to 1100 calories per day. That is the only way to lose weight. There's nothing wrong with your tool, your body has just adapted to that calorie level and you must reduce it if you want to get the pounds off. We all know it's hard, but it has to be done. Good luck!

So I am going to ask what exactly are you eating? Is it dense proteins? Are you eating carby stuff?

For me personally if I were to eat 1200-1600 calories a day I would gain. I have to stick to around 1000 calories for maintenance and for me to lose weight it has to be under 900 calories more like 800 and it has to be basically just protein like eggs, jerky, deli meat, steak, chicken thighs and maybe a little veggies, but no fruit or grains.

I do Weigh****chers because of the variety of foods that I can have, but it still comes to about 800 calories a day when I do 16 Weigh****cher points.